Tellurian



(No ModeL) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. L. BUXTON.

TBLLURIAN.

No. 684,851. Patented June 22,1897.

Wiigesses (No Model.) 7 2 Sheets- Sheet 2.

J. L. BUXTON. TELLURIAN.

Patented-June 22, 1897.

13;, 7520's @Aifemzyzy PATENT. Enron.

JOSIAH n BUXTON, OF IPsWIoI-I, sourn DAKOTA.

TELLURIAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 584,851, dated June 22,1897.

Application filed December 9, 1896. serial No. 615,021. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OSIAH L. BUxroN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ipswich, in the county of Edmunds and State of South Dakota,have invented a new and useful Tellurian, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to tellurians, and has for its object to providesimple and improved means for illustrating visually the movements of theearth about its axis and in its orbit, thus demonstrating the causes ofday and night and the variations in the lengths thereof and the changesof the seasons.

A further object of the invention is to illustrate the efiect of themotion of the earth in its elliptic path around the sun, together withthe inclination of its axis to the plane of the elliptic upon theseasons and lengths of days at different points on the earths surface.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear in thefollowing description,and the novel features thereof will beparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front View of a tellurian constructed inaccordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View of thesame. Fig.3 is a plan view of the ecliptic-plate, showing the sun andearth globes and the contiguous means for sup porting the latter, theearth-globe being shown in dotted lines in a plurality of positions.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings. 1 i

1 designates a suitable base having an inclined standard 2, upon whichis mounted a rotary shaft 3, provided with a crank 4. Arrangedperpendicular to this shaft is an elliptical plate 5, arranged in theplane of the ecliptic and provided with peripheral teeth 6. Theperiphery of this plate corresponds with the elliptical orbit of theearth, and it will be referred to in the following description as theecliptic-plate, the surface of the same being incribed contiguous to itsperiphery to form month-spaces in which are arranged the names of themonths consecutively.

Parallel with the ecliptic-plate is an auxiliary elliptical plate 6,also provided with peripheral gear-teeth 7, and meshing with theperipheral gear-teeth upon the ecliptic and auxiliary plates are pinionsS and 9, carried by a spindle 10. This spindle is mounted in ayoke-shaped swinging frame 11, having parallel upper and lower arms 12and 13, arranged in planes respectively parallel with the surfaces ofsaid plates, the upper arm 12 being extended and secured upon the shaft3. The arms of the swinging frame are provided with registeringlongitudinal slots 14, in which is arranged the spindle 10 for radialmove ment with relation to the ecliptic and auxiliary plates, suitableyielding means being employed for normally holding the pinions on saidspindle in engagement with the peripheral gear-teeth of said plates. Inthe construction illustrated these yielding means consist of a ring 15,fitted for rotary movement in a suitable seat 16 in the spacingblock 17between said ecliptic and auxiliary plates, and a contractile spring 18,connecting said ring with the spindle. Thus as the swinging frame ismoved around the central shaft as anaxis the spindle is adapted to yieldreadily and thus maintain the pinions permanently in contact with theperipheral teeth of said plates, whereby rotary movement is communicatedto the spindle. Oarried by the spindleabove the plane of theecliptic-plate is a spider, of which the arms 19 support an internalgear 20, which is thus disposed concentrically with the spindle and isadapted to receive rotary movement therewith.

Fulcrumed upon the portion of the spindle above the plane of theinternal gear is a stirrup 21, weighted at its looped end, as shown at22, to maintain it normally in a vertical plane, and mounted between thefree ends of the stirrup is an earth-globe 23, having a spindle 24,fitted in bearings in the stirrup and carrying a pinion 25, which mesheswith the internal gear. Thus during the operation of the apparatus thestirrup, which is swiveled upon the spindle carrying the pinions 8 and9, is normally held by gravity with the earth-globe uppermost, and theearthglobe receives rotary movement about its axis by means of theintermeshing internal gear and pinion 25.

The spindle of the earth-globe is inclined to the plane of the ecliptic(represented by the ecliptic-plate) by the opposite lateral deflectionof the upper and lower arms of the stirrup from a vertical plane,whereby as the position of the earth-globe in its orbit varies withrelation to the position of the sun-globe 26,which is supported abovethe ecliptic-plate, lines connecting the centers of the sun. and earthglobes will intersect the surface of the latter either in the plane ofthe equator or above or below the same. Hence when the earth-globe islocated at that part of its orbit designated upon the ecliptic-plate asMarch, and as illustrated in full lines in Fig. 3, it will be in thatposition which the earth occupies with relation to its orbit when therays of the sun fall perpendicularly upon the equator, the particularpart of the month being the th. From this point the earthglobe moves inthe direction indicated by the arrows in Figs. 1 and 3 until it occupiesaposition representing that occupied by the earth on June 21, (shown indotted lines at a, Fig. 3,) when, owing to the inclination of the axisof the earth toward the sun, the portion of the surface of theearth-globe above the plane of its equator will be presented toward thesunglobe to illustrate that at the period mentioned the surface of theearth above the plane of its equator is exposed to the direct orperpendicular rays of the sun, thus illustrating the causes for theincreased heat in the northern hemisphere during the summer months. Asthe movement of the earth-globe in its orbit is continued the plane ofits equator again approaches a position corresponding with that occupiedwhen in the first position above referred to, as shown in full lines inFig. 3, when in a position representing September 22, as shown in dottedlines at b, Fig. 3, the plane of the equator is exposed to the directrays. Further continued, the movement of the earth-globe brings it to aposition indicated upon the ecliptic-plate as December, and when at apoint corresponding with the 23d of that month, as shown in dotted linesat c, Fig. 3, the portion of the earth-globe below the plane of itsequator is exposed to the direct rays of the sun to illustrate the factthat the southern hemisphere is exposed to the direct rays of the sunduring the winter months.

In an analogous way the relative lengths of daylight and darkness duringthe different seasons at different points upon the surface of the earthmay be readily illustrated.

The sun-globe is supported in its position by means of a curved rod 27,which. is spaced intermediately from the peripheries of the ecliptic andauxiliary plates a sufficient distance to allow the carrier,with theearth-globe and contiguous parts, to operate Without interference.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a tellurian, thecombination of an inclined ecliptic-plate arranged in the plane of theecliptic with relation to a contiguous sunglobe, a swingingcarrier-frame, a spindle mounted upon the carrier-frame perpendicular tothe plane of the ecliptic-plate, means for communicating rotary motionto the spindle during the movement thereof around and parallel with theperiphery of the eclipticplate, a stirrup swiveled at an intermediatepoint upon the spindle and yieldingly held by gravity in its normalposition, an earthglobe having its spindle mounted in hearings in theupper ends of the arms of the stirrup at an inclination to the plane ofthe eclipticplate, and gearing for conveying rotary motion from thefirst-named spindle to the earthglobe, substantially as specified.

2. In a tellurian, the combination of an inclined ecliptic-plate ofelliptical shape arranged in the plane of the ecliptic with relation toa contiguous sun-globe, and provided with indicating devices designatingdifferent seasons of the year, a swinging carrier-frame mounted formovement parallel with the plane of the ecliptic-plate, a spindlemounted upon the carrier-frame and yieldingly held at a uniform distancefrom the periphery of the ecliptic-plate, said spindle beingperpendicular to the plane of the ecliptic-plate, means forcommunicating rotary motion to said spindle during its movement aroundthe eclipticplate, a stirrup mounted at an intermediate point upon saidspindle and Weighted at one end to hold it yieldingly in its normalposition, an earth-globe mounted between the arms of the stirrup at theopposite end from the weight, and an internal gear carried by thespindle contiguous to the plane of the stirrup, the earth-globe beingprovided with a pinion meshing with the internal gear, whereby rotarymotion is communicated from the spindle to the earth-globe,substantially as specified.

3. In a tellurian, the combination of parallel-spaced ellipticalecliptic and auxiliary plates arranged parallel with the plane of theecliptic and provided with peripheral gearteeth, a sun-globe arrangedcontiguous to the ecliptic-plate, a swinging carrier-frame havingslotted upper and lower arms arranged respectively contiguous to theplanes of said plates, an operating-shaft arranged concentrically withthe plates and having one of the arms of the swinging frame attachedthereto, a spindle mounted for radial movement in alined slots in thearms of the carrier-frame, for movement toward and from the peripheriesof the plates, and carrying pinions meshing with the gear-teeth thereon,a stirrup IO spacing-block between the plates, and a con traotile springconnecting said ring with the spindle, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOSIAH L. BUXTON.

Witnesses:

GEO. O. MEADoWs, J. W. PARMLEY.

